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Articulated words and moving bodies

 


Thinking about AOL. AOL. AOL. AOL. 

Looking back at the way I went to school, then to uni, then the way I trained and worked. Even the MA today. I have always been part of an institution "from afar". Do I resent institutions? Do I resent being part of a group? Do I work and learn better "on my own"? Experiential learning is getting to question the smallest of events that happened into my life and getting me to understand so much.. It is vertiginous. 

AOL. 

I am realizing that one AOL that is the umbrella of all the other ones is: ARTICULATING MY THOUGHTS INTO WORDS, SO THAT I CAN CREATE / SO THAT BODIES CAN MOVE AND BE ON STAGE. 

One of the advice that stuck with me when I started creating was: "a lot of artists need to learn to talk about their work. Learn to talk about yours."

And I did. I dug deep into the instinct and the sensations of what an idea, primarily, is. I brainstormed. I gathered images, quotes, words. I question things. Often it is a question I do not have the answer to, but it is a question I am looking an answer to. 

Articulating my thoughts into words allowed me to: 

- clarify my intentions as an artists, helping me to make a more powerful, right, coherent piece of work.

- fluidly talk/write about the project for funding applications, pitching, the good old selling-myself-i-am-my-work, the good old believe-in-it-as-much-as-i-do-please-and-give-me-money. (A most honorable way of begging?)

- communicate about the piece, about the process and about my expectations to my collaborators. It enabled me to did deeper towards my work ethics too, and to communicate about this with my team. 

Articulating my thoughts into words makes me a better producer, artist and team manager. So. Mmh. I believe this might be THE one AOL I will develop first. 

I want to make a note about what comes before words: instinct. As it is a very dear impulse to me. It is the transformation of instinct into words (the intangible into the tangible, codified), just like the transformation of ideas into a piece that Articulation allows me to do. Does this make sense..? 

From the intangible to the tangible. Grasping an idea. Transforming. 


Commentaires

  1. Ann Louise Wall30 septembre 2022 à 08:41

    Hi Lea, Interesting questions you are asking about institutions and whether you resent them. You have encouraged me to ask the same of myself. I think talking about work your work as an artist can be so much more challenging than we initially imagine. Sometimes for me it feels like it simply can't be put into verbal words yet once I start writing it begins to flow. Does that resonate with you?

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    1. Léa3 octobre 2022 à 04:29

      Hi Ann! I think institutions always represented something of "needed-success" or "box-ticking" environment that would really stress me. I believe the resentment (if there was one!) would be around these. I guess I love the challenge of having to put words on ideas. Once the ideas are embodied, I am very much on a ride and could dissect the piece and write/talk about it forever. I guess there is something about the timings of things too, John Cage (although it's been said it wasnt him writing those 10 rules!!!) said that doing and analyzing are two different things and you can't do them together. I try to disconnect my brain when in the creation process, and reconnect it later, when in prod meeting etc. I would say it flows when i start making. Making is definitely at the centre of it all. (flow of thoughts here!!) x

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  2. Cael H, Somatic Studies1 octobre 2022 à 16:20

    Thanks Lea for sharing! I dance for a contemporary company here and having a director similar to what you are speaking about resonates with me. My director communicates about the intention, what she sees, the mess of the idea, the questions etc. As the dancer I really appreciate this stage of development that is shared with me as it provides a broader context to work from and allows me to really dive into her "brain" and inner workings of the piece. I am sure this is very much appreciated by your dancers!

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    1. Léa3 octobre 2022 à 04:32

      Hi Caleigh!! Thanks!! Yes I think they do, I am constantly asking them if they need more and I embrace the "not-knowing yet" mode too. Or even the "will-never-know" mode. I used to work as a prof dancers for 9 years and remember working for a choreographer who would be very very very vague. I can understand why they did this too.. so that we find our own way.. but I promise I would never give my collaborators the feeling of being "on their own". It is all about connecting to each other, right.. x

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